Birchall itching for fast return

FOUR- TIME premiership veteran Grant Birchall is confident he can recapture his best football despite missing nearly two seasons because of injury.

The star Hawthorn defender is eyeing off an early 2019 return after battling ongoing right knee problems — which required further surgery in December to remove some floating cartilage.

While an exact date is yet to be finalised, the Tasmanian is itching to again pull on the brown and gold jumper having missed all of 2018 and managing just five matches in 2017.

And though the rigours of AFL continue to increase, the 31-year-old will back himself to have an impact when he eventually slots into his customary back-six role.

“I will always back my ability in, I know what it takes to play at a high level,” Birchall said ahead of the Hawks’ community camp in Tasmania starting today.

“Other than the knee issue the rest of my body feels great and I am just eager to get back out there and help contribute.

“Everything is on the right track and fingers crossed it stays this way.

“Unfortunately it is my time to have a bad rub of the green I suppose and hopefully it will get better soon and I will be able to get back on the park.

“The timeline, it is really hard to pinpoint when I will be back out and playing, it’s pretty much symptom-based and how I go on feel. It will be highly unlikely I will be ready for Round 1 so hopefully the early part of the season.”

While frustrated at the continued setbacks, Birchall believes his career could be prolonged having missed such a large chunk of football.

And when he does return to Hawthorn’s defence it will have a vastly different look to the one he was part of in his last senior match back in Round 15, 2017.

“I have tried to remain as positive as I can, knowing full well it is a contact sport and injuries happen all the time.

“That’s the mindset I have been having, having this time off will probably do me the world of good, freshen me right up.

“Mentally I feel fresh, I am eager to go. Maybe in hindsight it might be a good thing I have missed a chunk of footy, who knows, hopefully it can prolong my career. I am really looking forward to playing alongside [James] Sicily and [Blake] Hardwick and these types, I have hardly played any footy with these guys.”

The Hawks will have players at various events across the state and will hold a twilight family event at UTas Stadium tonight from 6.30pm.